The invention relates to the formation of nanoscale structures on a substrate. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of etching to form such nanoscale structures. Even more particularly, the invention relates to charge-free, low temperature etching of substrates using energetic neutral atom beam lithography and epitaxy.
Plasma etching is widely used to fabricate high-precision micron- and nanoscale structures in polymers. Plasma etching, however, represents a significant technical challenge. Problems associated with charge deposition, structural damage, and complex etch chemistries pose significant limitations for fabricating nanoscale structures and devices and limit the ability to form novel device structures.
Currently, the use of etching to form nanoscale structures cannot be made without incurring substantial structural damage or device damage inherent to the use of energetic charged particle-based etching processes. Therefore, what is needed is a method of forming nanoscale structures and devices that does not produce damage in the in the nanoscale structures and the substrate. What is also needed is a method of etching that is capable of forming such nanoscale structures with high precision.